A Tale Beyond Yggdrasil
by ACShura
Summary: Follow a story of Gargantia, a common guild with unique individuals, as they ravel the mysteries of The Yggdrasil Labyrinth.
1. Welcome To Etria

A Tale Beyond Yggdrasil

_Where friendship, loyalty, and love can be found__ in the same place._

#1 Welcome To Etria

The river that separates a small town called Etria and the Imperial Kingdom reflected the sun as it slowly rose from the east. A young man with his backpack full of adventurer kits and a sword on his belt looked exhausted. He wiped his sweat from his face.

He finally made it out to Etria. Where the city found an underground forest that brings out curiosity to many adventurers to investigate it.

Many came, many tales told by the retired adventurer, many lost. But the underground forest still an uncharted place full of mysteries.

He is the one of the new fledgling adventurer who dared himself to explore the place.

The road is treacherous. Savage beast, untamed plant, sighted monstrous creature lurking in every corner. And no less, the victim of the Labyrinth increased everyday. Making it more one of a dangerous place in the Imperial Kingdom.

But people who lack of common sense, who seeks fortune, fame, and glory? They all went as an adventurer to explore the place.

And when they failed it became a purpose for an adventurer to come. A symbol. A place named by the adventurer, The Yggdrasil Labyrinth.

As he walked closer to the gate. He saw the guard was checking on something up ahead.

When finally his turn was up, he walked to the guard.

"May I see your passport?"

"Of course." He put down his bang and searched for his paper but he couldn't found it. Apparently he vaguely remember that he left it at his home back at the village.

The guard awaited him, restless. He made a huge line bee-line behind him.

"I'm sorry, sir. But you cannot enter Etria without a pass."

"But I came here as an adventurer. I wanted to explore the famous Yggdrasil Labyrinth." He pleaded.

"No exception, sir. I know it's been a long road for you. Especially with so much stuff you put inside your backpack." The guard sneered at his backpack. "But in here we have restriction. It's for the safety of the town."

He and the guard argued and suddenly someone behind him interjected.

"What's wrong? You can see a huge line behind don't you? Make it quick!"

"This person didn't want to leave. He didn't have a pass."

"For gods sake." The man in the white coat pulled a paper from his hand."Here's my pass."

The guard took the paper and read it in flashes and folded it back. "You may go, but this young man must leave."

Before the guard could dragged him out the man hold him back.

"Don't worry. Let him. He's with me."

"Well that settle it, Yamato." The guard seems happy as he didn't have to handle the same annoyance everyday so he let the young man slip inside.

The young man sighed in relief as he gained an entrance. He thought that he will foil his first adventure but the lady luck is on his side today with a form of a person called Yamato.

Yamato. He seems to be at his age. His yellow hair slicked back showing his huge forehead. He has a purple eyes. Yamato didn't notice him observing because Yamato was busy managing his backpack.

"What's in it?" He tried to open a conversation.

"Oh, I'm a trained medic. In here I always kept my salves." He grinned. "I'm just a little perfectionist over trivial things."

He decided that he follows Yamato inside the Etria because he seems to know where to go. And on the other hand he is just a wanderer. That kept him sticking around with Yamato a little longer, which is actually fun. Because the guy sure easygoing.

After a while, finally Yamato arrived at his destination. A clinic which is on the Under sector area. The crowd filled with people who injured ranging from a normal wound to a dread wound enough to make a sane person disgusted.

"I think this is where we split. It's nice to have a conversation partner like you." They shaked hand. "Good luck on the Labyrinth."

Before Yamato leave, he tapped his shoulder.

"By the way, thank you for taking me in. I don't know what will I do if you hadn't be there." He can only express his gratitude with word, he felt bad about it.

But Yamato shakes his head. "Naaah... Don't mention it. You're okay, you know that."

And then Yamato swallowed by the crowded scenery.

He decided to walked straight to the Labyrinth Entrance. He wondered what will be inside the labyrinth. But before he could think more he noticed a guard were standing in front of the entrance, again. The entrance!

He has a bad feeling about it.

And it proved right.

"I'm sorry sir. But you need to have a permission letter from the Radha Hall in order to explore the Labyrinth."

Dissapointed, he walked back wearily. So many thing he discovered that becoming an adventurer is a tough one. He should have become a farmer back at the village.

But that thought gone when he walked pass a vociferous place. There were a lot of people singing and dancing. The melody coming from the instruments they played is good to hear. It's traveling troubadours!

He didn't expected that he will meet them in this month. Because at this time they probably at another continent. But seeing them here right now made his spirit lifted up.

One of the troubadour captivated him with her dance and time passes as he sat down hearing them playing. He then surprised when the troubadour that he observed wave at him.

"Hey there!" She shouted at him. He quickly walked from the place. He didn't want her to think of him as a pervert.

As he wanders, he noticed that a lot of people in Etria wearing a different kind of outfit. Ranging from a simple tunic to armor furred metal. He felt a little bit off with only sword, his tweed and his backpack on him.

He finally stopped walking at one particular place that amaze him.

An Explorers Guild.

He entered the place, wishing for a guild to accept him. But none of the guild can accepted him. Maybe because their guild is full or they just didn't accept new adventurers . He can only guess. A guy with an eyepatch on his left eye told him he can create a guild for himself.

"As long as you have a group of people, you can make a guild."

With that, he took his leave to the man.

With stars filled the vast sky he decided to go the nearest inn and rest. So much had happened in one day.

Putting his backpack besides his bed, he rested his head to the pillow and thinking about his peace little village and how he despise that. He didn't want to go back at his normal life. He didn't want to work at the field, herding the livestock. Plowing the land. He knew that there's another live out there.

But he introspected himself. There's nothing he can do about it. First day at the Etria and he almost screwed it in front of the gate. He decided to go back to the village.

Before his mind went slumber.

An idea struck into his head.


	2. Assembling Gargantia

**A Tale Beyond Yggdrasil**

_Where friendship, loyalty, and love can be found in the same place._

2. Assembling Gargantia

He wakes up on the floor. Apparently he dropped down when he fall asleep. He clenched his teeth when he tried to stand. The pain from his back sending a chill through his spine.

He must be so exhausted last night since he didn't realize that he slept on the floor. 5 Ental –a currency used in Imperial Area— just gone by resting on a cold floor.

He opened the window in his room and see the little town is still busy even the mist still covered the morning. Merchants advertising loudly and adventurer walks by.

He can see blue flowers blooming near the fountain where he can see a light brown skin girl polishing his shining armor, a fellow librarian from the Midgard Library (he noticed the note on the cover the guy held has it crest) with a sunglasses reading a book and seems to ignoring their partner who were talking to them. He seems holding some strange machine on his hand though.

He yawned, a tear almost came from his eyes. And the thought he had last night made him rushed outside his rented room, almost forgotten his backpack. He walked down the stairs, waved the owner and immediately left the inn.

When he arrived at the place he wanted to go, it still the same place like yesterday. Full of sick people.

And there he see Yamato was sitting on a bench.

"Hey! Yamato!"  
The medic who was in his thought surprised to see him rushing over.  
"Oh, it's you from yesterday. I didn't catch your name last time."  
"It's not important. What are you doing lounging around? Aren't you suppose to help people around."  
"They say they didn't need help." Yamato grim. "So here I am. Doing nothing in particular."  
"Say, would you like to go with me to the Lab—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Yamato shook his head.  
"Nope. I'm a medic. Not an adventurer type like you."  
"But I need another one person to make a guild. And I would rather be you to be the another one." He unsheathed his sword from his belt. "It would be fun. Guarantee. The more the merrier, right?"

Yamato scowling, seems to consider the offer. Then he nodded.  
"You must be a new adventurer. But I guess you have spirit. I think I join for the time being."

He hit Yamato shoulder.  
"That's what I'm talking about. Now let's go."  
But before he took a step, Yamato grasped his shoulder.

"Not with that sword. We wouldn't survive a thing inside the labyrinth."

"Have you been inside the Labyrinth?" he asked in marvel.

"No. But I've seen adventurers that came in to the clinic. They were gravely wounded."  
"Your ideas, your Entals."

Yamato sighed then he leads him to a place with a board that reads 'Shilleka's Goods'.

The place full of weapon and armor with Entals he could offer. And the owner, Shilleka is a unique one too. She had a tribal tatto on her face and her clothes too was really 'inviting' which really make him uncomfortable.

But they got what they wanted. He took a whip with him because he felt like he wanted to and Yamato took an old looking branch.

"Why'd you took that branch?"  
"It's a staff!" he said with an angry tone, seems offended. "And why'd you take that whip? Don't tell me you into that kind of thing?"  
"What kind of thing?"  
"The weird thing that makes you..." Yamato take one step back. "Turned on..."  
"Wh-what are you talking about?" he panicked. "What turned on?"  
"Well, with your reaction. I guess your not." Yamato sighed in relief. "You really don't know about it?"  
"C'mon tell me what it is. I'm interested."  
"It's better that you don't." He shouldered his staff. "Some things are best kept secret. Let's head to Explorers Guild." Yamato leaved him in a puzzled expression.

They walked through the place where yesterday evening troubadours are playing their instruments. The road filled with conffetis and stench of ales intoxicated him.

"It looked like they were having a blast last night."

He didn't respond Yamato. As the pink haired girl from yesterday was standing in front of him. Still with her 'fancy' clothes and her accesories that jingling when she moved.

She smiled widely and her hands were on her back. The very thought of the girl would pull a knife from his back and stabbed him because he was clearly leering at her made him shudders.

"Hi!" she said in a friendly tone.

"Hi! Um... errr... yesterday, right?" he tried his best not to made an eye contact.

"So you really are that guy." When she pull her hand from her back, he thought she really is going to stab him so he jumped back. Apparently the girl just reaching her hand. "I'm Haru."

Still trembling from the thought, he shaked her hand and the girl whispered to his ear. "I know you're that pervert who's been seeing me yesterday. So I'm going to punish you."

He turned his head over to Yamato.

"Help me."

"She's going to kill me." He walked behind Yamato.

* * *

"C'mon. Enough jokes. You can see, she's clearly wanted to join our expedition. The more the merrier, right?"  
"Nuh-uh." He shakes his head. "I can't tell you the reason why she's going to kill me. But I know she will."  
"I only know how to sing...and a little bit of dancing." Haru nudged him, which made him jumped.  
"No! Have mercy."

Haru just laughed while Yamato seems confused to the situation.  
"Anyway, Yamato. Why'd you shouldering a stick?"  
"It's a staff!"

They began to arguing before finally Haru stopped talking. There was a silence while they walked through the town before Yamato walked a bit faster and gone behind the scenery.

"NO! Yamato wa—"

"So, we're both alone now without your friend. What your punishment will be?"

"Sorry. I have to go." He rushed searching Yamato.

"Wait! We haven't finished yet."

When he finally found Yamato he was talking to a blond girl wearing an armor and carrying a kite shield.

"Oh, I'm sorry. She seems lost so I thought I would help her but she said that she's looking for a place called Explorers Guild." He grinned. "Talk about a coincidence, eh?"  
"Don't...you...dare...leaving...me...alone...with...that...girl."  
He gasping and tired meanwhile Haru turned up next.  
"How...could...you...treat...your...Guild...member...like this?" Haru too was gasping.  
"What are you two doing?" He asked curiosly.

"You guys are in one guild?"  
He wanted to answer but Yamato spoke first. "Technically, we aren't but we will. We're going to enlist ourselves."  
"Can I join you guy?"  
"What!?" He and Haru said together.

"Yes!" He answered, followed by "No!" from Haru.

"Please..."she said.

They all looking at Yamato. Yamato sighed. "Yes."

"THE MORE THE MERRIER! I'M SAVED!" He raised his hand in victory pose. The other two who weren't involved were confused but they decided to leave it at that.

So they now walked together to Explorers Guild. By the time they arrived at the guild. They can hear a commotion.

"Tch. We don't need you anyway." Five people rounded one person and they took something from what it seems like a strange mechanism that he saw in the morning. "We'll be taken this."

"Don't..."his voice was weak.  
"Our guilds, our rules, our formulas."  
And they leave the poor guy alone.

He approached the guy who now sat on the roadside. "You alright?"  
At first there wasn't any responses coming but before he turned his head. He stated. "You need a member on your guild?"  
The other three shakes their head. But when he see the guy on his eyes, he only see a husk. A person who lost his hope. He didn't have a heart to say it.  
"Yes. We have one spot."  
"Good." He stood up. "I'm Ryo."

* * *

"You five here looked new. A freshman, eh? Well, think of your guild name then. Maybe someday your guild be remembered as the one who will ravel the mysteries inside the Labyrinth." Said the eyepatch man.

They all looked at him. Expecting something coming up from him. He didn't know a thing about a good name. He just wanted to explore the Labyrinth. But now he has a guild. With five people, including him, to take care of.

And no less, Yamato said that he should be the leader. With pride in his heart over his new responsibility he wrote down a name for his new guild.

Gargantia

And he signed the paper with his name on it.

Hei

"So that's your name." The three nods in agreement. "We never actually catch your name."  
They both laughed together. Except Ryo who's fiddling with a strange device on his hand.


End file.
